Heat dissipator for marine engines



Aug. 29, 1944. A. J. HIGGINS A HEAT DISSIPATOR FOR MARINE ENGINES Filed May 1l, 1942 Patented Aug. 29,

UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-TCE HEAT mssnwron. Eon MARINE ENGINES Andrew Jackson mma, New orleans, La.

Application May 11, 1942,. Serial No. 442,526 1 claim. c (cl. 257-124) This invention relates to heat dissipators and more particularly to heat dissipators for the cooling system of internal combustion engines used in connection with vessels operating in salt water where' a closed fresh water cooling system is utilized.

In connection with such systems it has been found that under heavy duty conditions steam is of the heat dissipator unit whereby the formation of such steam pockets is eectively prevented and the general eillciency of the device improved.

The invention consists in the novel construe# tion, arrangement and combinations of parts as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed. K

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specication in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the stern portion of a vessel showing the application of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross section through a heat dissipatorunit;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view looking forward of the showing in Figure l;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal cross section on the lower header taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2; and y Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal cross'section taken through the upper header and on line l-S' of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, B represents the stern portion of a vessel in which E indicates the internal combustion engine.

The heat dissipator unit comprises a lower header I and an upper header 2, the lower header being connected as .by a pipe 3 with a reservoir I for fresh water which in turn is connected by pipe 5 with the circulatory cooling system of the engine E. The engine cooling system is further connected by pipe 6 with the upper header 2 and the headers I and 2 are connected by cooling pipes I2.

which boltsor lag screws can be passed to secure lthe header to the bottom of the vessel. The body portion of each header is provided with a plurality of channels so arranged as to provide in conjunction with the connecting pipes I2 a circuitous passage for t-he cooling medium.

In the embodiment herein illustrated the lower header I is connected centrally with the pipe 3 which communicates with a central passage I0 in the header which central passage is surrounded by an annular passage 8. Both of the passages 9 and I0 communicate with the exterior of the header through slightly enlarged sockets II adapted to receive and seat the ends of pipes I2. The upper header 2 is similarly provided with a plurality of passages I3 and I4, the openings of which are similarly provided with sockets II for the pipes I2. In the case of the upper header 2 Each of the headers I and 2 comprises a main body portion having an externally directed flange 1 provided with a plurality o! holes I through the passages I3 and I4 are arranged side by side so that the cooling medium which enters the central passage I0 ofthe lower header will normally ilow through the middle tube I2 and enter passage I3 of the upper header from whence it will pass through the upper tube I2 vand enter the passage 9 of the lower header and from there will pass through the lower tube I2 and be delivered into the passage I'4 which communicates with the pipe 6 and thence to the engine.

In operation, the heat dissipator as thus de scribed and which, up to this point, is more or less conventional will under heavy service or abnormal duty` be likely to form steam pockets espe' etsis greatly in excess of the pressure in the chambers l and I4 of the headers which contain the relatively cooler water having traversed a substantial portion of the condenser tubes.

To prevent the accumulation of steam in the chambers III and Il the present invention contemplates the provision of relatively small bleeder passages I! positioned in the walls separating chambers 9 and Il of the lower header and I2 `and Il of the upper header. sages Il can be readily provided in such header umts which are normally formed as castings by drilling passages Il ln the outer wall to admit a drill andthen after the passages Il have been drilled in the inner walls threading the passages Il and plugging same with screw plugs Il..

The provision of the bleeder passages Il will not interfere with the normal circulation of the Such bleeder pascooling medium by reason of their relatively small size. but will upon new increase of pressure in chambers I0 or I3 by reason of the formation and delivery of steam thereto permit the bleeding of such excess pressure into the chambers 9 and I4, respectively, thus assuring a substantially equallzed pressure between the chambers i and IU of the lower header and I3 and Il of the upper header and the eective prevention of the formation of steam pockets.

Where the condenser tubes |21 are of substantial length it is usual to provide supporting brackets I6 intermediate the headers but these are not related to the present invention.

Various modications and the precise arrangement and construction of the headers and the means of providing the bleeder passage will readily suggest themselves. to those skilled in the art, but all within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

Heat dissipator for the cooling medium ot a marine combustion engine, comprising headers,"

each formed with a chamber having a port adapted to be connected with the engine circulatory cooling system and an arcuate chamber adjacent the ported chamber, the ported chambers and the ends of the arcuate chambers communieating by parallel pipes to form a continuous serpentine passage from port to port, with bleeder vents communicating the chambers in each header, as speciiled.

ANDREW JACKSON HIGGINS. 

